


You Deserve All the Joy

by citrusella



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: (at least I think it's hurt/comfort...), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s05e18 A Single Pale Rose, Gen, Mother's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-16
Updated: 2018-05-16
Packaged: 2019-05-07 23:14:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14681472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/citrusella/pseuds/citrusella
Summary: Because nothing is better than being surrounded by family and love.Or: Steven's once-a-year struggle with a holiday he doesn't exactly have the ability to traditionally celebrate.





	You Deserve All the Joy

**Author's Note:**

> Based on [this Mother's Day card](https://www.hallmark.com/cards/greeting-cards/you-deserve-all-the-joy-mothers-day-card-supporting-susan-g.-komen-759MOA6003.html), which I only know about because of [this Tumblr post](http://younger-than-the-soul.tumblr.com/post/173885076035/hallmark-fucking-knew).

"Hey, Shtu-ball, you find a card yet for Uncle Andy's birth—"

Greg stopped as he rounded the corner. Steven didn't seem to have heard him, but Greg could see he had not found a birthday card. In fact, he wasn't even in the right section for it. The man sighed internally as he traced Steven's gaze to the card display.

Mother's Day.

It always kind of hit Steven when it came around, some years more than others, but this year was different. For one, they were, unusually, in a greeting card store (something Greg had tried to actively avoid with him around this time of year when he was younger), and for two, they'd just found out… well…

Sigh.

His son's eyes were fixed on a bright pink card with a large shiny diamond shape not unlike the color of a ~~Rose Quartz~~ Pink Diamond surrounding the message emblazoned on its front. Flowers surrounded the diamond. Steven grasped through his shirt at what Greg knew was his gem.

He took a breath, put on the most optimist "Dad" face he could muster, and walked up to touch Steven's shoulder. The boy, momentarily pulled from his pouting, looked up into his dad's eyes.

"Hey, bud, why don't you take a break, head to the van? I'll finish up in here, and then maybe we can go get a bite to eat."

Steven obliged, leaving Greg alone to finish finding the card for his cousin's birthday. He scoured the store for the perfect birthday card but somehow kept ending up on the Mother's Day aisle, deep in thought.

Greg left with two cards.

* * *

The van pulled into The Crab Shack's parking lot.

"Dad? Why are we eating here? I thought maybe we were gonna go somewhere like Fish Stew Pizza."

"Would you rather go there instead? Car's still on."

"I mean, it doesn't really matter, I guess, but… isn't this place kind of expensive?"

"Eh, we can splurge every once in awhile, especially with all the money I still have. I figured, hey, we're never on this side of town, might as well make it special. Right?"

"…" Steven looked at the dashboard for a moment before smiling in a way Greg hadn't seen for at least five days. "Right!"

"Alright! Let's get in there! You can order whatever you want. Just don't try to run away on a bus this time!" Greg gave a finger gun and a wink to his son.

Steven giggled in response, unbuckling his belt and jumping out of the car.

* * *

The server walked away with their food orders, leaving the two to their business.

It was the Saturday before a holiday, and that meant The Crab Shack was full of parents and kids celebrating the occasion.

…It also meant holiday ads on the table.

_We want to SEA Mom and you eat our FOOD at a special Mother's Day brunch! Join us Sunday between 9:30 am and 1:30 pm for our special holiday brunch menu, complete with a limited-time-offer cake for you and that most special woman in your life! Sea you there!_

Luckily, Steven was glancing enviously at a family eating the cake in question, which gave Greg the time to hide the ad from his view.

"Y'know, I think this is gonna be a great weekend!" Greg was almost-obviously inserting way more pep than he actually felt into his sentence.

"…Dad, you don't have to lie to me."

"What do you mean, Shtu-ball? No one's lying." …His tone was less than convincing.

"Dad, you're faking being excited. I saw you hide that," he pointed to the ad, now tucked behind the condiment caddy instead of in its display handle, "but I read it already. I just… didn't get all upset because you seemed really happy to be here. But this weekend _sucks!_ It sucks every year. And it _extra_ sucks this year." He sighed and looked toward the pink sweetener packets.

"Ste—"

"—Maybe we should just _let_ it suck. It's not going to suddenly become any better than it's been before now. It's not going to change the fact Mom's not here. It's not going to bring her back. And it won't stop her from being Pink Diamond." He gave himself a small hug, only leaving out the pulling his knees to his chest part because he was in a fancy restaurant and that'd be unbecoming. "Maybe tomorrow's just the day everyone else gets to be happy and I have to just think about all that."

Dad frowned. "Steven. Not everybody gets to be happy on Mother's Day. Some people have to be sad, or bitter, or… or angry. And that _does_ suck. But none of those people—you included—should feel like they need to beat themselves up over it."

Steven didn't answer. The server brought their food. Steven looked down and pushed his fork into the food. Greg sighed and took a bite of his food.

He really hoped he hadn't come up with a plan that would backfire.

* * *

Steven cracked open his eyes and climbed downstairs, yawning.

…Was that an envelope on the counter? And… a G.A.L.S. figure?! Karen?!

_What was going on?_

"Morning, Shtu-ball!"

He turned to see Dad sitting on the couch, the gems situated around him, looking as if they were hiding something.

"Dad?! What are you doing here?"

"Well, I didn't know if it'd be a bad idea after our talk yesterday, but… I figured… maybe go ahead and open the envelope! It can explain it better than any of us can!"

Steven ripped the envelope open to find—

The pink Mother's Day card? His face fell. But… this wasn't what—

He pulled it out and ran his fingers over the shiny diamond part, inset into the card like a gem into one's body. Then he noticed the inscription had changed.

_Happy ~~Mother's~~ Steven's Day_ was the message that rested in the center of the diamond now, the "Steven's" bit added in what was clearly Pearl's handwriting, the scratch-out of "Mother's" obviously Amethyst's handiwork.

"…Steven's Day?"

"Yes," Pearl said, "Greg suggested we should celebrate you. I'm not sure why _today_ as opposed to your birthday, but—" Garnet pulled her sideways and whispered something that caused her to blush, suddenly embarrassed. "Oh."

"Yeah, we nabbed that gal off Onion early this morning after I asked his mom if he had anything he didn't play with anymore. P thought you wouldn't like it."

"Amethyst! I said no such thing!"

"I could see it in your face, man!"

Steven chuckled, the bickering a nice sort of normal after the wild week.

Greg piped up again. "Today's your day! We do whatever you want, eat whatever you want, go wherever you want! If that's going to Funland or hitting that museum a few towns over or even just staying home, it's up to you! Anything goes!"

Steven put his finger to his chin in thought. "Maybe… I know we were just there yesterday, but would it be too much to ask to go back to The Crab Shack? With you _and_ the gems?"

Greg looked unsure. "You sure, kiddo? They'll be having that brunch thing."

"I know. ...But it can be a Steven's Day brunch for us! And they'll have that cake! A Steven's Day cake!"

"Yay-uh! Caaake!" Amethyst bellowed.

"That sounds lovely! As long as I don't have to eat it," Pearl smiled.

Garnet gave a thumbs up.

"Awesome! Everyone wait here and I'll go get the van!" Greg charged out the door.

As Dad ran away to get the van, Steven cracked the card open to read the inside, seeing that everyone, even Peridot (where _was_ Peridot, he should have invited her too!), had signed it.

Maybe today _didn't_ have to suck.

_You deserve all the joys of being a wonderful ~~mom~~ Steven… the hugs, the smiles, the laughter… because nothing is better than being surrounded by family and love._


End file.
